Who we are
We enjoy pushing boundaries. We relish challenges. Accelerated growth is our driving force.
Group8 principles
8 fundamental principles have created our brand philosophy and bind our team. They are what drive us to 'never settle'.
Differenti8
Navig8
Acceler8
Innov8
Collabor8
Elev8
Dedic8
Emul8
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Why Group8?
Our vision is to become the most innovative and trusted legal resourcing and human capital consulting business within the markets we operate - the ‘go to’ for ambitious firms and organisations. An uncompromising commitment to 'quality over quantity' is at the core of our business model and culture. Our relentless and passionate pursuit of our clients' goals means that many come to see us as an integral, trusted part of their team.
Who we represent
We are the company we keep. We only collaborate with those who are ambitious and driven, with a vision we believe people will connect with. We won’t accept an assignment, or commit to working with an individual, unless we are absolutely certain that we can successfully meet expectations.
Our philosophy
We differentiate ourselves from our competitors through our elevated standards. We are dedicated to our clients, and the individuals we represent, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their goals through creative thinking. Client relationships are based on mutual collaboration as we work together to accelerate their growth. We become an extension of our client's business as we emulate and advocate their culture, values and ethos.
What they say about us...
Meet the Group8 team
Authenticity and inclusion are fundamental to our dynamic, experienced and eclectic team. We don’t believe in hierarchy – you’re only as good as your next best idea.
Miranda was educated in Law to postgraduate level in the UK and initially decided to pursue a career as a lawyer, with a leading firm in London. She entered the world of legal executive search in 2001 and now has over 17 years’ experience consulting to leading law firms and corporations around the world. In 2004, Miranda set up a business called Spencer Scott Hilton in Australia, before setting up the Dubai office and relocating to the Middle East in 2008, responding to the significant demand in the region at the time as an emerging market. In 2016, the Singapore office was launched. In 2017, partnering with Recruitment Entrepreneur (the fastest growing resourcing portfolio in the world backed by James Caan) Miranda launched the London office under a new brand, Group8.
The selection of clients on whose behalf Miranda has acted include global law firms, major listed and private entities, and banks sourcing senior counsel through a process of proactive targeted search. She has lived in the UK, Kuwait, Australia, Dubai and Singapore, and has sourced lawyers across the world, with a focus on Australia and Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Miranda's experience to date encompasses:
- Strategic consulting on the proposed growth of a team, firm merger, team acquisition, the development of a new office or new practice area.
- Consulting and collaborating with law firm clients to develop innovative solutions
- Acting as seconded HR and Resourcing Manager or to work on specific special projects.
- Sourcing for law firms senior practitioners at Partner, Senior Associate or Special Counsel level.
- Sourcing General Counsel, Company Secretaries, Policy Analysts and Senior and Legal Counsel for corporations and providing global search services sourcing lawyers from overseas jurisdictions.
- Regularly called upon by senior practitioners in the legal market for career consulting advice providing support from building their profile through to directly assisting them with a move, domestically or globally.
Examples of recent projects include:
- Acted for a leading global law firm providing consulting, strategic advice and search services to establish a local law offering in Singapore. Coordinated and managed the acquisition of a team of partners and lawyers across a range of practice areas, through to completion and successful integration.
- Seconded to a client to oversee the strategic development and implementation of a full performance management system including full salary bench-marking, performance metrics and employee brand proposition.
- Acted for a major construction contractor to source senior counsel to manage key legal functions in India, Hong Kong and Singapore.
- Acted for a well-established national Australian law firm in consulting, planning and sourcing a team acquisition to establish a new office. Role involved working with the firm’s Board and Managing Partner structuring and managing the project from inception through to completion.
- Acted for major Australian construction contractor to source over 32 lawyers for its national in-house legal team over a period of five years.
- Acted for a major global law firm in sourcing two International Arbitration Partners in Hong Kong.
Based in London acting for clients globally.
Ian has been a successful corporate lawyer for over 20 years working in both private practice and senior in-house roles across the UK, Australia and Asia Pacific. More recently he established his own executive coaching business, providing leadership coaching to senior members of the legal industry and owners of small businesses and start-ups. Ian is a graduate of the Meyler Campbell "Mastered" coaching programme and a member of both the Association for Coaching and the Institute of Coaching.
- Ian is an experienced business coach with particular expertise coaching those in the legal industry, including senior in-house practitioners and those in private practice. In addition, Ian coaches owners of small businesses and start-ups together with those undertaking major changes in career or returning to work after periods of parental leave.
- Ian's primary coaching strengths lie with enabling clients to:
- Set, develop and execute business strategy
- Manage and capitalise on periods of change
- Manage and develop their teams
- Set a clear vision for their own future and achieve their personal objectives
- In addition to his coaching skills, Ian is a highly skilled corporate lawyer with over 20 years' experience across various practice areas and jurisdictions. Most recently he was a senior legal counsel at HSBC with responsibility for the negotiation of highly complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions with a particular focus on technology, IT innovation and outsourcing.
- Prior to HSBC, Ian spent 8 years as a senior legal counsel at British American Tobacco in Sydney where his responsibilities included managing the legal aspects of a global business transformation programme, leading a team of senior corporate lawyers and overseeing complex strategic litigation.
- Ian's private practice career began as a litigator with Norton Rose in London, specialising in complex commercial litigation, before moving to Baker & McKenzie in Sydney where he spent a number of years focusing on commercial disputes and insolvency matters.
Based in the UK, but available to undertake coaching assignments via video-conferencing for clients wherever they may be located.
Abid trained as a lawyer working in corporate finance before entering the resourcing industry 25 years ago. He is an experienced Business Manager and Developer with a wealth of experience in various industry sectors in various locations around the world, including the emerging markets. He has worked in over 35 countries in various CEO roles and was Investor and Director of a UK FTSE250 company, as well as a Non-Executive Director for multiple recruitment companies. He founded ARBP, which trained recruiters in 22 countries and had a wealth of experience in building and managing teams. Industry specialisations include Oil & Gas, Security and Professional Services.
- Trained as a lawyer before entering the world of recruitment over 25 years ago.
- Niche training and consultancy business providing services to the various industries in 22 countries around the world.
- Responsible for building the strategy for a top Oil & Gas brand, creating brand awareness and driving the sales. The strategy yielded triple digit growth for the brand, and developed its contracting business globally.
- Fostered a community of start-up businesses who benefit from the expertise of his investment team.
- Provides dedicated services enabling partners’ businesses to flourish, ranging from operational strategy and back office support to marketing and talent attraction.
London
Karen has over 20 years of experience partnering with business leaders in the professional and financial services sectors. Since 2005 she has been identifying international talent and solutions for organisations experiencing periods of change and rapid growth. Always with a focus on developing lasting relationships, she has facilitated significant career moves for senior professionals across the globe.
Karen studied Business at the University of Queensland, starting her career in banking in Sydney. Since moving to London in 2005 she has nurtured relationships and networks with leaders across a variety of industry sectors including: Financial Services, Professional Services, Consumer, Life Sciences, and Infrastructure.
Understanding that a move overseas involves not just a career but also a life change, Karen goes the extra mile to really understand and support the unique qualities and drivers particular to each individual. As has recently been said about her “The unique qualities that Karen brings to the recruitment process are outstanding. Not only does she review the talents of each candidate in their own right without simply 'pigeon holing' as many consultants in her field do, she really takes time to understand the person behind the CV, what drives them and what they bring to the party.”
Karen is an active member of the LGBTQ community and is passionate about facilitating programs addressing diversity, leadership development and mentoring.
Supported a Global law firm's national Australia offices to source Australian qualified infrastructure lawyers from numerous international locations.
- Facilitated the move of numerous Australian, UK and New Zealand qualified lawyers across a range of disciplines to the Middle East, Europe and APAC regions.
- Worked with one of Australia's leading construction contractors over a period of 6 years to source lawyers from all over the world to create one of the region's leading in-house legal teams.
- Acted on behalf of one of the world's leading mining businesses to source a senior infrastructure lawyer to be based in Paris, managing the legal support on a significant iron ore project in Africa.
- Working closely with senior lawyers looking to relocate back to their 'home' countries whilst advancing their career either in-house within a major corporate or into private practice positions.
London and Sydney
Gareth’s 25 year career as a recruiter encompassed roles based in London, Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong. Much of his career has entailed launching new businesses into new markets and locations. He successfully established, scaled and exited his own recruitment business. As Recruitment Entrepreneur’s leader for Australia and Asia, Gareth’s focus is on the identification, development and support of recruitment businesses for our APAC portfolio.
- From establishing a consultancy in 2001, Gareth navigated its development and expansion from start-up to a business of 10 employees (6 fee earners) located in Sydney and London with an annual turnover of c.AUD$3 million.
- Recruited to support a top legal recruitment's early development into the commerce & industry (i.e. in-house) legal recruitment market throughout the UK. After an initial 6 month induction, Gareth was given full responsibility for all aspects of winning and executing recruitment assignments.
- Establishing and developing a new brand within the legal recruitment market in London and establishing and expanding a new brand in the commercial and technical recruitment markets across the UK.
- Leading and managing a business division comprising 6 consultants (plus support staff) operating in the legal, accountancy (public practice) and management consultancy recruitment markets in Sydney.
- Operating from Sydney and Singapore (under Gareth's leadership as Director - Asia Region) and Dubai the business worked with some of the world's leading law firms and corporations in support of their ongoing recruitment strategies.
Sydney and Singapore
James Caan has an unparalleled track record in recruitment start-ups. With 30 years' recruitment experience, James began backing start-up businesses in 2009. Between 2009 and 2013, James invested in six entrepreneurs across multiple sectors. In four years, these six companies turned over £125 million and grew to a combined headcount of 135, all from a standing start and during a recession. James is a ‘hands on’ Chairman who takes an active mentoring and advisory role, allowing entrepreneurs to learn from his unique and considerable sector experience.
- Invested in a highly successful, fast growing, commercial law firm with a reputation for delivering excellence and innovation in legal services.
- Profits at a firm backed by James almost doubled during the first full year of his involvement.
- Invested in another innovative law firm in 2009 to add to his portfolio of successful businesses in the legal services market.
- Pioneer in RPO and other advanced resourcing processes across professional services.
London
With over 20 years’ experience in marketing, communications, PR, social media, advertising, events and sales, Sam has developed a wide range of skills working across the recruitment, media, entertainment and telecoms sectors. Prior to supporting Group8, Sam was responsible for running the marketing function for the UK’s largest healthcare staffing provider, supporting 14 brands and over 45 websites. In less than four years' Sam built and led the marketing team to be voted Support Team of the Year for two consecutive years. She's directed and delivered re-brand projects for multiple leading brands and overseen PR activities for key individuals, as well as managing the redevelopment of numerous company websites.
- Initiated and project managed the development of marketing services for the UK's leading healthcare agency provider
- Successfully implemented, launched and product managed a new multimedia service within two months, exceeding first-year targets by 241% for the global leader in news and information distribution services for professional communicators
- Represents the Hamilton Bradshaw brand portfolio of staffing and recruitment businesses, invested in by James Caan
London
Fergus has over 25 years’ experience of finance line management in service, high-tech and fast-growing companies. Much of his experience has been gained internationally and in challenging environments. Fergus works with the businesses on forecasting, funding and budgeting and heads up a team who manage invoicing, credit control and pay & bill for each of the portfolio companies
- Extensive international exposure at corporate, divisional and operating levels, providing clarity and structure to turn around previously failing finance functions.
- Member of the AES Sonel Executive Committee with full responsibility for the finance function, managing a head office team of 20.
- Experience working for an interim project covering the commercial finance role, ownership of complex forecasting models and budget, strategic analysis
London
Victor graduated from the University of Kent with a first class honours degree in Politics & International Relations and subsequently went on to work in a variety of sectors including local government and financial services in administrative and data analysis capacities. He is hoping to use his experience of delivering efficiency improvements across various projects to help Group8 operate as effectively as possible as it continues to grow.
- Key contributor to implementation phase of new speech and text analytics software package used to provide more insightful intelligence data for a financial services company.
- Delivered tailored sessions and reference materials for a charity’s volunteers and service users, providing information needed to tackle the financial issues they face – presented project output to the CEO
- Lead electoral officer responsible for processing registration forms on CRM system containing 240,000 records for registered voters in the borough
- Jointly responsible for project aimed at improving engagement with stakeholders in organisation’s other departments by mapping and recording relationships
London
Daisy oversees and manages all operational activity within the Recruitment Entrepreneur portfolio. She implements best practice business guidelines and strategies and works closely with partners and other department heads to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently, allowing you to focus on running your business
- Provides services enabling partners’ businesses to flourish, ranging from operational strategy and back office support to marketing and talent attraction.
- Provides an incubator service to help recruitment entrepreneurs build and scale successful recruitment ventures in a competitive market by offering financial and operational support, training, mentoring, back-office, admin and seed capital.
London
Redefine gr8 at Group8
Group8 are looking for talented consulting, HR and resourcing professionals to join our ever-growing family. If you’re interested in doing something ‘entirely different’ , contact any member of our team to find out more.
Contact usGiving back - CSR Programme
EACP are changing lives in East Africa. Whether it's providing children with a roof over their heads, an education or simply hope in the future, Group8 are dedicated to supporting their mission.
About EACP
EACP is a small registered charity in Brighton. They support local projects that target the needs of disadvantaged children in East Africa. Their work and projects are based in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, making a difference wherever they dedicate their time.
They are helping Children's Centres, education programmes, individual pupils and projects for communities struggling to take care of their children. For more information on the incredible work being done, visit www.eacpcharity.com
Don8
What we believe
One of the most fulfilling aspects of our business is that we get to help people – often to make a leap they never expected. But we also believe that businesses should give back to the wider community. With our work focusing on the legal profession, it’s a reality that the people in our sector have had the privilege of gaining a quality education.
But this is not a reality for everyone. Therefore, whilst we support various charities, events and emergency relief funds, EACP is where the majority of our donations go. Every child deserves and is entitled to the same education we received, and we are making it our mission to ensure this happens.
How we achieve it
We wholeheartedly believe that everyone deserves an education and comfort of living. Simple things that we take for granted such as a roof over our head, a light to read or even a football are luxuries for these young boys and girls.
Whilst we can never emulate the commitment of those dedicating their lives to providing these children with a better life, we are determined to give them as much support as possible.
Group8 fundraising
Currently, CEO Miranda Hilton is preparing for her climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in December. She will also be visiting the project in Tanzania in aid of understanding first-hand the everyday struggle of the children in Africa.
Also, in the works, Group8 are planning numerous events to help raise awareness for all the work being done by EACP.
EACP projects
EACP currently supports small, manageable projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda that provide children with sustainable livelihoods. Not only does it provide for the children themselves, but it also helps develop the families and communities around them to work toward an improved and brighter future.
Don8 - make the difference
Any donation, no matter how small could change a child's life. By helping EACP fund one of their many projects you could change the future of disadvantaged children. Support EACP and help them make a difference.
Group8 history
Group8’s success to date is a direct result of us never getting comfortable. As trail-blazers in our industry, we’re always chasing the next adventure.
2019: Watch this space!
Exciting times await.
September 2017: London office opens
Group8, formally known as Spencer Scott Hilton, partnered with Recruitment Entrepreneur, backed by James Caan’s private equity business Hamilton Bradshaw. We also opened our dynamic new office in London to complement our Asia-Pacific hubs. You can visit the Recruitment Entrepreneur website by clicking here.
June 2015: Singapore office opens
Our office in Singapore was established, spreading the company's reach to better service the Asia market.
January 2008: Dubai office opens
In 2008, we expanded to the Middle East opening our Dubai office.
January 2004: Spencer Scott Hilton founded in Sydney
In 2004 CEO Miranda Hilton founded the company Spencer Scott Hilton, which developed a leading reputation in Australia for targeted search supporting a core group of major corporations and leading fast-growing law firms.